The ultimate delboy road trip . The sort of day out as men we all love , but never get !
Superb acting , timing , storyline and very important Soundtrack . Anytime I hear the songs from this on the radio or tv I think of this episode !
Love it could watch it every day . It's a comfort episode !
The best episode of OFAH and that's a big thing
10 Reviews
The ultimate feel good factor.
Sleepin_Dragon19 December 2019
The Jolly Boys outing to Margate, one of the very best, funniest things ever made. Arguably Only Fools and Horses at its peak, with all characters at their very best. The laughs come thick and fast, and run the whole way through, with one of the funniest ever guest appearances, Rosalind Knight, who plays Bella, she is hilarious as the terrifying hotel owner. You can't help but watch this and smile, it has the ability to take the viewer out of a bad mood, the coach, the football, the lines, it's just amazing humour.
'well I hope they buried her.' It's wonderful, and did indeed shape the future of the show, some great laughs were to come. 10/10
'well I hope they buried her.' It's wonderful, and did indeed shape the future of the show, some great laughs were to come. 10/10
Jolly indeed
studioAT24 July 2020
Warning: Spoilers
One of the best all round 'Only Fools' episodes, with so many great moments. I don't think any other instalment probably has as many all in one episode.
From the exploding coach, to the lovely scenes of the gang on the rides, not to mention some pathos creeping in that would be more of a feature as the show progressed, this is a joyful, funny episode, expertly penned by the much missed John Sullivan.
Wonderful.
From the exploding coach, to the lovely scenes of the gang on the rides, not to mention some pathos creeping in that would be more of a feature as the show progressed, this is a joyful, funny episode, expertly penned by the much missed John Sullivan.
Wonderful.
Let Me Run This Past You!
Lunerar27 June 2020
Thought of as the best episode by many fans and cast members alike. It's pretty hard to argue with these opinions. The second half is stronger than the first which maybe implies that it isn't perfect but it's certainly damn close.
I know that some fans think that the addition of Cassandra and Raquel as love interests for the Trotters kills the show a bit but I disagree. It makes for more nuanced plot-lines and relationships, the show growing as its characters do, although I do find myself nostalgic for the sitcom style 30 minute episodes at times.
Given that this episode comes off the back of the excellent series 6 and with the brilliant series 7 just around the corner, The Jolly Boy's Outing has the privilege of being smack bang in the middle as Only Fools and Horses was on one of the greatest rolls in television history.
Stupendous!
I know that some fans think that the addition of Cassandra and Raquel as love interests for the Trotters kills the show a bit but I disagree. It makes for more nuanced plot-lines and relationships, the show growing as its characters do, although I do find myself nostalgic for the sitcom style 30 minute episodes at times.
Given that this episode comes off the back of the excellent series 6 and with the brilliant series 7 just around the corner, The Jolly Boy's Outing has the privilege of being smack bang in the middle as Only Fools and Horses was on one of the greatest rolls in television history.
Stupendous!
Oooouuuut to marrrgate
lewbaker31 December 2020
Sensational, well done step dad.
mattfrancis-039638 June 2021
This show and this episode is one of the most highly rated tv programmes in British history. The show puts all other shows to shame it's as simple as that. No stupid girl power, stupid lgbt innuendoes or stupid fluff comedies like how I met your mother or any of the English rubbish. At the end of the day admit it or not this show will never be beaten. Simple this is also the most undated and overlooked show there's nothing to compare it nothing funnier or more enjoyable and as my grandad use to say it's absolutely brilliant. My step father actually co wrote this.
Look out Margate and lock up your daughters.
philsmalley-326046 August 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Question, what is the very best episode of Only Fools And Horses? It's a debate we've all had with our friends and family but it's always hard to agree. With 64 episodes spanning 22 years, its difficult to decide with all those great moments of comedy gold to choose from.
The one constant with fans like myself being, The Jolly Boys Outing has some of the best moments in the shows history. Whether it be Del playing Trival Pursuit (female Swan, 3 letters..) or Triggers response to being stranded (I lost my dolphin) there's so many stand out moments that keep the laughs rolling.
To recap, the 1989 Christmas special sees the Trotters (along with all the series regulars) head off to Margate for a lads day out of sun, sand and seafood. Along the way there are dodgy Albanian radios, exploding coaches and horror movie hotels all within the space of 60 minutes. The gags are thick, fast and plentiful, a side splitting mix of visual humour( Rodneys facial expression at the coach blowing up), running jokes (Albert crossing paths with Sid during the war) and brilliant one liners too many here to mention.
There's even some tender moments with the reintroduction of old flames, a welcome return of Dels former girlfriend Raquel adds a nice continuity to the Trotter timeline as well as every single plot thread thread set up at the Start of this episode has a pay off by the 60 minute mark.
All wonderful stuff from the late great John Sullivan, penning what could be his finest hour of T. V.
The one constant with fans like myself being, The Jolly Boys Outing has some of the best moments in the shows history. Whether it be Del playing Trival Pursuit (female Swan, 3 letters..) or Triggers response to being stranded (I lost my dolphin) there's so many stand out moments that keep the laughs rolling.
To recap, the 1989 Christmas special sees the Trotters (along with all the series regulars) head off to Margate for a lads day out of sun, sand and seafood. Along the way there are dodgy Albanian radios, exploding coaches and horror movie hotels all within the space of 60 minutes. The gags are thick, fast and plentiful, a side splitting mix of visual humour( Rodneys facial expression at the coach blowing up), running jokes (Albert crossing paths with Sid during the war) and brilliant one liners too many here to mention.
There's even some tender moments with the reintroduction of old flames, a welcome return of Dels former girlfriend Raquel adds a nice continuity to the Trotter timeline as well as every single plot thread thread set up at the Start of this episode has a pay off by the 60 minute mark.
All wonderful stuff from the late great John Sullivan, penning what could be his finest hour of T. V.
Turning point
jon_a26 October 2017
Very funny episode of the situation comedy Only Fools and Horses but to me this was the turning point in the series when Raquel and Cassandra were firmly established as characters and personally I think they ruined the series. Only fools and horses was in my opinion a very funny series but I think the crux of the humour came from del rodney and grandad, I personally liked Lennard Pearce more as he in my opinion was a more believable Grandad. I think Raquel and Cassandra spolit the series as it was a sign Del and Rodney were growing characters and they now had family responsibilities whereas before Del and Rodney were concentrating on making money and getting into funny situations but Raquel and Cassandra made them concentrate more on settling down and having a family. Family responsibility destroyed the comedy, Steptoe and Son was very funny but the Humour came from Harold and his dad, if they had been married the comedy element would have been lost.
Fun episode, enjoyable day out with the cast of only fools and horses.
simwizz25 October 2020
I only just watched this episode again after maybe 15 years , it's a fun episode , I love the seaside and fair clips I wish they done more scenes , I would of loved 15 mins of it ,not just 3 mins or so .I think if grandad was in this episode instead of uncle Albert it would be a 10 but sadly he died a few years before .it's not my favourite episode but it's one of the best . 8.5/10
I'm very much in the minority but I've never liked it
phantom_tollbooth20 July 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Sometimes you find yourself out of step with popular opinion and you can't quite understand how it happened. So is the case with me and the 1989 Only Fools and Horses Christmas special The Jolly Boys' Outing. A hugely beloved episode, The Jolly Boys' Outing frequently tops polls or is singled out for special praise by fans. I wondered if I'd understand why a little more this time round but having sat through 85 sluggish, unfunny minutes I've emerged just as perplexed. OK, maybe that's a little unfair. There are a couple of funny gags sprinkled throughout the episode, like Del's Trivial Pursuit struggles, but for the most part The Jolly Boys' Outing unspools with a plodding predictability that is uncharacteristic of John Sullivan's usually clever and surprising work.
From the get-go, something is off about the pacing and performances in The Jolly Boys' Outing. A tedious 8 minute scene in the market kicks things off and immediately the episode feels stilted. There's a sense that Sullivan may still be getting to grips with the more dramatic approach of the second phase of Only Fools and Horses, in which, rather than rely on self-contained stories, narrative arcs played out over whole series. But The Jolly Boys' Outing came after series 6 of Only Fools and Horses, not only the show's best run but one of the greatest sitcom series of all time. Yuppie Love, Danger UXD, Chain Gang, And the Unlucky Winner is..., the hits just kept on coming. The Jolly Boys' Outing feels like the fatigue following the Herculean effort. It bumbles from one uninspired scene to the next and they never really build to anything or interweave surprisingly as in Sullivan's best work. I'm not generally this prescriptive about the approach writers take and Sullivan could write more straightforward stories as brilliantly as anyone. But The Jolly Boys' Outing just isn't very funny. The situations are dull, the dialogue is weak, even the performances seem weirdly off.
Obviously plenty of people disagree with me on all these points, and while I don't quite understand the overwhelming acclaim The Jolly Boys' Outing has received, I can just about see why it pleases people so much. The large supporting cast of characters that Only Fools and Horses had accrued by this point were phenomenally popular, so an episode that foregrounds the likes of Boycie, Trigger, Denzil and Mike was always going to be popular. The fact that it places them on a coach to Margate for their annual trip to the seaside means that those who personally revel in boisterous male camaraderie doubtless get a vicarious thrill from scenes of their favourite characters just having a fun time together. Personally, though I don't frown on people having a good time, being on that coach with those people would be my idea of Hell. I love these characters but what fascinates me about Only Fools and Horses is getting underneath their laddy facades. The Jolly Boys' Outing offers more of a chance to merely hang out with them at their most relaxed, resulting in the sort of jocular antics that could pretty much be assigned to any group of boozy male creations.
The Jolly Boys' Outing does eventually go somewhere, serving the purpose of setting up the return of Raquel and the marital problems that Rodney and Cassandra would experience throughout the following series. It is also notable for featuring a non-stereotypical gay character, indicating the marginally more progressive attitude that began to become apparent as Only Fools and Horses entered a new decade. But after the surprise of Raquel's appearance, a heartwarming treat for those who were left melancholy by the ending of the previous year's Christmas special Dates, The Jolly Boys' Outing descends into more tediously predictable antics involving the Trotter brothers punching people. Wounded male pride had been explored to great effect many times across the series, often with a strong element of pathos, but here it is merely played for farcical laughs and they fall flat.
Having loved so many of the Only Fools and Horses Christmas specials, I'm disappointed that I can't share in the excitement that surrounds The Jolly Boys' Outing but I'm pretty sure it's an episode I'll never really enjoy. Given how much I love these characters, it wasn't the most terrible company but across 85 minutes I found it becoming very wearing and when the credits rolled on the mean-spirited final image of Rodney laden-down with suitcases, I resolved that this was probably the final Jolly Boys' Outing I would ever attend.
From the get-go, something is off about the pacing and performances in The Jolly Boys' Outing. A tedious 8 minute scene in the market kicks things off and immediately the episode feels stilted. There's a sense that Sullivan may still be getting to grips with the more dramatic approach of the second phase of Only Fools and Horses, in which, rather than rely on self-contained stories, narrative arcs played out over whole series. But The Jolly Boys' Outing came after series 6 of Only Fools and Horses, not only the show's best run but one of the greatest sitcom series of all time. Yuppie Love, Danger UXD, Chain Gang, And the Unlucky Winner is..., the hits just kept on coming. The Jolly Boys' Outing feels like the fatigue following the Herculean effort. It bumbles from one uninspired scene to the next and they never really build to anything or interweave surprisingly as in Sullivan's best work. I'm not generally this prescriptive about the approach writers take and Sullivan could write more straightforward stories as brilliantly as anyone. But The Jolly Boys' Outing just isn't very funny. The situations are dull, the dialogue is weak, even the performances seem weirdly off.
Obviously plenty of people disagree with me on all these points, and while I don't quite understand the overwhelming acclaim The Jolly Boys' Outing has received, I can just about see why it pleases people so much. The large supporting cast of characters that Only Fools and Horses had accrued by this point were phenomenally popular, so an episode that foregrounds the likes of Boycie, Trigger, Denzil and Mike was always going to be popular. The fact that it places them on a coach to Margate for their annual trip to the seaside means that those who personally revel in boisterous male camaraderie doubtless get a vicarious thrill from scenes of their favourite characters just having a fun time together. Personally, though I don't frown on people having a good time, being on that coach with those people would be my idea of Hell. I love these characters but what fascinates me about Only Fools and Horses is getting underneath their laddy facades. The Jolly Boys' Outing offers more of a chance to merely hang out with them at their most relaxed, resulting in the sort of jocular antics that could pretty much be assigned to any group of boozy male creations.
The Jolly Boys' Outing does eventually go somewhere, serving the purpose of setting up the return of Raquel and the marital problems that Rodney and Cassandra would experience throughout the following series. It is also notable for featuring a non-stereotypical gay character, indicating the marginally more progressive attitude that began to become apparent as Only Fools and Horses entered a new decade. But after the surprise of Raquel's appearance, a heartwarming treat for those who were left melancholy by the ending of the previous year's Christmas special Dates, The Jolly Boys' Outing descends into more tediously predictable antics involving the Trotter brothers punching people. Wounded male pride had been explored to great effect many times across the series, often with a strong element of pathos, but here it is merely played for farcical laughs and they fall flat.
Having loved so many of the Only Fools and Horses Christmas specials, I'm disappointed that I can't share in the excitement that surrounds The Jolly Boys' Outing but I'm pretty sure it's an episode I'll never really enjoy. Given how much I love these characters, it wasn't the most terrible company but across 85 minutes I found it becoming very wearing and when the credits rolled on the mean-spirited final image of Rodney laden-down with suitcases, I resolved that this was probably the final Jolly Boys' Outing I would ever attend.
See also
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